Seoul [South Korea], December 14: Lee Jin-woo is the third senior military official to be arrested in connection with the martial law crackdown, following former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Defense Counterintelligence Command Director Yeo In-hyung. Prosecutors are also in the process of seeking a warrant to formally arrest Lee Jin-woo.
Mr. Lee is accused of ordering the deployment of soldiers to the National Assembly building after President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on December 3. Several South Korean military commanders are also under investigation for the incident, Yonhap News Agency reported on December 13.
On the same day, December 13, a South Korean court officially issued arrest warrants for Cho Ji-ho, head of the Korean National Police Agency, and Kim Bong-sik, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, on charges of potential destruction of evidence. The two were previously arrested on December 11 for allegedly ordering police to prevent lawmakers from entering the National Assembly building on the night Yoon declared martial law, according to The Korea Times .
Yonhap reported on December 13 that South Korean police are also considering issuing an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol . The National Bureau of Investigation said Mr. Yoon was placed under investigation by police, prosecutors and anti-corruption agencies after the imposition of martial law. Police are also considering confiscating assets at Mr. Yoon's residence.
On December 11, police entered the presidential office but only received a limited number of documents, because Mr. Yoon's security was not cooperating. President Yoon on December 12 denied the sedition charges and defended the decision to impose martial law. "Whether I am impeached or investigated, I will face it fairly. I will fight to the end," Mr. Yoon declared to the public.
Today (December 14), the South Korean National Assembly will continue to vote on the impeachment of Mr. Yoon Suk Yeol. The impeachment proposal was not passed in the session on December 7. The opposition Democratic Party of Korea said it will push for the impeachment vote every week until its goal is achieved.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper